Beth Sonnenburg

Two experts, two diet plans. M & F HERS reports, you decide on how best to lose that last five pounds.

I have to lose weight! The Big Day looms near: your friend's wedding . . . holiday party . . . class reunion . . . vacation. Whatever your "B-Day," one thing's for sure: You've got to show up looking and feeling out of this world in just a few short weeks. How do you get there?

If you've got the will, we've got the way: two plans to choose from depending on your personal needs. Got a will of steel to give up your favorite carbs and become a lean, mean (non) eating machine? Check out the "Hard-Core" diet on the left. Need a more realistic approach that doesn't mean eating like a monk? Follow our "Real-World" plan on the right. Dieters: Choose sides! Follow the plan that's right for you and get ready to shine on your big day.

The Hard-Core Diet

"Bread is the enemy." These four words sum up the no-holds-barred approach of Mike Davies. Davies has consulted with athletes whose livelihood depends on how they look—and now, his iron-will plan has become popular among a broader spectrum of active women. One thing's for sure: It's not for the faint of heart (or body). Davies describes his plan as "a diet of fresh foods, concentrating on lean protein, fruits and vegetables." It's designed for someone who wants to shed those last five pounds and has serious discipline to do so.

Note: Do not follow this diet for more than three weeks. Consult your physician before following this program. Pregnant or breast-feeding women should not follow this diet.

Four Building Blocks

1) Limit what Davies calls "The Three Deadly Whites": sugar, flour and salt.
Sugar: This includes all candy, non-diet soft drinks, sweetened cereals, pastries, cookies, cakes . . . you get the point.
Flour: Anything with "wheat" in its ingredient list—such as crackers, chips, pretzels, breads, most snack foods, pasta and most cereal—is a Davies no-no.
Salt: You don't need to count grams of sodium, but you do need to avoid products high in sodium. This includes most frozen entrees, canned soups, processed and packaged foods such as boxed pasta or rice mixes, snack foods like pretzels and chips, microwave popcorn, pickles and so on. Avoiding excess sodium also mean avoiding fast food.

2) Drink lots of water.
If you're used to drinking 8 cups of water a day, go up to 12 cups (3/4 of a gallon) or even 16 cups (1 gallon) per day. If you drink fewer than 8 cups daily, get up to a minimum of 8.

3) Eat more green vegetables.
You should be eating a green vegetable at least twice per day. Choose from dark leafy salad greens, asparagus, spinach, broccoli and more.

4) Get the heart pumping.
Engage in aerobic activity at least 30 minutes a day, 5—6 days per week. Continue with your regular weight training.

Real-World Diet Plan

Your short-term goal is to maintain your muscle mass, lose a little extra fat and gain muscular definition. But, you don't want to sacrifice your health, energy or well-being in the process: You're not willing to starve yourself or subsist on a diet of plain chicken and broccoli. If this sounds like you, then turn to nutritionist Sheri Barke's Real-World Diet Plan. It's still results-oriented, but it keeps the big picture of health and wellness in mind. Barke notes that in addition to the diet plan, "You'll want to maintain your high-quality training program, with a bit more emphasis on cardio (30—60 minute sessions, 4—5 times a week), coupled with 2—3 days per week of strength training."

The Four Guiding Principles

1) Be realistic, and not too restrictive.
While you may be tempted to go on a semi-starvation diet that drastically cuts all carbs and fats out of your eating plan, don't be led astray. These types of diets usually backfire. When calories are severely restricted, serotonin (the "feel-good" brain chemical) drops, and that can lead to feelings of depression, anxiety and low self-esteem—all triggers for emotional overeating. In addition, the body's levels of leptin (a hormone that suppresses appetite and revs up metabolism) drops, while its levels of ghrelin (a hormone that stimulates food intake) rise. So, a very restrictive diet can leave you with an uncontrollable desire to eat. (And keep eating!) Aim for a realistic reduction in your weight and bodyfat stores so that you set yourself up for success, not failure. Smaller, leaner women can aim to lose one-half to 1 pound per week; larger women can aim to lose up to 2 pounds per week (never more than 1% of your bodyweight per week).

2) Be prepared.
Plan ahead so that healthy, satisfying meals and snacks are readily available. Your goal is to eat every 3—4 hours to avoid getting overly hungry (and overeating later) and to keep your metabolism and energy revved up. And, try to prepare meals and snacks at home (rather than eating restaurant food) as much as possible to optimize nutrient density, maintain portion control and minimize excessive sodium. In order for this to happen, you have to be prepared with weekly menus and shopping lists, designated times to pack lunches and snacks, and a list of emergency foods you can eat when you're on the run and don't have food with you.

3) Be sensible.
Focus on foods that are minimally processed and nutrient-dense—the fresher, the better. These types of foods will satisfy without a lot of calories.

You'll want to include:

• Plenty of vegetables and fruits;
• Small portions of whole grains, as these high-quality carbohydrates have a filling fiber content;
• Lean, protein-rich foods with most meals and snacks to preserve muscle mass during weight loss and help you feel full;
• Small amounts of monounsaturated and omega-3-rich oils for their multiple benefits to health and blood sugar regulation;
• A simple multivitamin/mineral supplement;
• Three calcium-rich foods daily (or a calcium supplement as needed).

4) Be kind to yourself.
So often, we try to "fix" our lives and improve our self-image by focusing on outer solutions to internal problems. ("If I can just lose weight and follow the perfect diet and exercise regimen, I will be happy and feel good about myself.") But it doesn't work that way.

In order to attain true happiness and total well-being, we have to nurture our inner selves . . . get adequate sleep, manage stress, engage in healthy relationships and satisfying work, maintain appropriate boundaries and have fun. If we neglect these things, we're apt to turn to food for comfort, starve ourselves to numb our pain and feel bad about our bodies.

Keep in mind that physical attractiveness is about so much more than your weight or muscle definition—your attitude and how you present yourself also plays a role. If you don't take care of yourself on the inside, it will show on the outside.

Healthy Tapering
Eating Plan

This plan is designed for an active 125—135-pound woman who normally requires about 2,200—2,400 calories to maintain her weight. It's reduced in calories, but it provides adequate protein to maintain lean body mass while allowing you to lose a little fat and gain muscular definition.
It's important to return to the higher-calorie maintenance plan after the tapering period.

Tapering Basics
Structure your diet around the following guidelines:
• 1,700—1,900 calories
• About 25% protein (to supply 0.8—0.9 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight)
• About 25% fat
• About 50% carbohydrate
Plus
• At least 64 oz. water daily
• No more than 300 mg caffeine daily (and avoid caffeine after 3 p.m. so it won't interfere with sleep)
• 30—60 min. of cardio 4—5 days/week and strength training 2—3 days/week
• 7—8 hours of sleep daily
• 15—30 min. of meditation or relaxation activity daily
• Lots of positive self-talk and flexibility!

Continue on to our Hers forums to share your weight-loss strategies!

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